Julia W.

In July 2023, I wasn’t feeling well, but it was up and down. I had a fever for a day, then I didn’t again for another week. I thought I had the flu and dismissed it as that. All of a sudden the fever returned a week later, and I could barely walk my dogs. That’s when I went to the ER with 134 bpm resting heart rate and <25,000 WBC.

I was admitted to the hospital within an hour with a suspected diagnosis of urosepsis, which was later confirmed along with pyelonephritis and bacteremia. All hospital beds were full so I was in the ER/ICU on a gurney for 2.5 days – I remember intense rigors where my family and nurses held me while I was shaking uncontrollably. Eventually a bed opened up on the oncology floor, where I recovered before being discharged with more antibiotics to save my life. I’m forever grateful to the infectious disease MDs, nurses, specialists, and staff  – thank you for all you do 🙏